Gambit Saints Issue 2024

September 2 - 8, 2024 | Volume 45 | Number 36

BULLETIN BOARD

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SUMMER GLOW-UP:

CONTENTS

THE 2024 SAINTS ISSUE ‘Superfan Steph’ talks game day prep and why she loves the Saints ...................... 23

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PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

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The 2024 Saints Issue

Super Bowl or Bust ... your waistline with Gambit’s game day recipes and cocktails!

EDITORIAL

editor | JOHN STANTON political editor | CLANCY DUBOS Arts & entertainment editor | WILL COVIeLLO

Staff Writers | JAKe CLApp,

KAYLee pOCHe, SArAH rAVITS

Contributing Writer | IAN MCNULTY editorial Assistant | MADDIe SpINNer

CREATIVE Creative Director | DOrA SISON

Traffic Manager |

FAIRS & FESTIVALS MUSIC • THEATER • SPORTS FUNDRAISERS • ART• FOOD EVENTS • AND MORE! ISSUE DATE

SEPTEMBER 16 R E S E R V E S PAC E BY SEPTEMBER 6

CONTACT SALES & MARKETING MANAGER ABIGAIL BORDELON 504-636-7427 OR ABIGAIL.BORDELON@GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

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Fall EVENTS

SEPT. 2 — SEPT. 8, 2024 VOLUME 45 || NUMBER 36

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5

Fire tested

Childish Gambino

Mia Borders releases new album ‘Firewalker’ | by Jake Clapp

MIA BORDERS LOVES TO CREATE “EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTERS,” the

New Orleans singer-songwriter and producer says with a laugh.

Often, the ride is contained in a song, like in “I Can’t Love You,” a soulful, bluesy track that comes halfway through Borders’ new album “Firewalker.” It’s an emotional trip about not being with the one she loves, burying that emotion and filling the time with lovers who don’t stack up.

“I couldn’t figure out the vibe of it,” she says. “I didn’t know if I wanted it to be angry or tongue-in-cheek or super depressing. It’s probably some mix of those three. It’s gotten some laughs at live shows and then at the end, people have been like, ‘Damn, that was a bummer’ — which is what I like to do.”

On “Firewalker,” though, the emotional rollercoaster ride lasts the whole album. Borders’ latest album is now available through her website, and New Orleanians can catch Borders perform on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Broadside as part of the Music for Mental Health songwriters round.

Borders’ first studio release since a 2019 ep, “Firewalker” opens with the title track, a resilient New Orleans funk song about walking through fire and channeling energy forward. Borders originally wrote the lyrics for bassist George porter Jr. and his band runnin’ pardners several years ago for their record “Crying for Hope,” but the song didn’t make the album. Borders decided to record the track for her new project, and porter joins in, sharing vocals and playing bass.

Another optimistic, forward-looking track, “Keep on Doing You,” closes the album. But in between those two positive bookends, “there’s a lot of emotional turmoil,” Borders says.

Borders taps into a range of emotions and New Orleans music styles on “Firewalker.” There are sensual soul grooves, Latin rhythms and classic New Orleans rhythm and blues and upbeat funk underscoring songs about romantic passion, deep heartache, independence and moving on from things that just aren’t working anymore.

The sweet r&B tune “My Darling Love” is a studio version of a song Borders wrote 10 years ago as a wedding gift for her brother and his wife.

The album features Borders’ band — drummer Wayne Maureau, bassist Jesse Morrow, guitarist Takeshi Shimmura and keys player Mike Lemmler — along with saxophonist Brad Walker, trombonist

New Orleans singersongwriter Mia Borders PROVIDED PHOTO BY SMART MEDIA

Ashley Shabankareh and trumpeter emily Mikesell. They recorded the tracks at Marigny Studios with engineer Justin Armstrong in April, just before French Quarter Fest, and Borders produced, mixed and mastered the album.

Borders has released a number of full-length albums, eps and live albums, all through her label Blaxican records, since she began performing in 2006.

But, like with a lot of musicians, the pandemic slowed things down. She also held a position at Loyola University New Orleans’ music department, which took a lot of her attention.

In 2022, though, she decided to leave Loyola “and almost immediately, I sort of felt the switch flip again, and I was starting to think about my own music,” Borders says.

She wrote a lot of “Firewalker” during weekend trips to cabins around the region, accompanied just by her dog, guitar and some portable studio equipment.

She’s been working to be more present, she says, and the solitude and connection to nature helped spur her creativity.

“Anywhere there’s trees, I’m into that.

There’s a line in ‘Better Off,’ [that goes] ‘Lightning loves a scarred tree.’ I resonated with that idea, so I wanted to put it into an emotional context,” Borders says.

A grant from the Threadhead Cultural Foundation, an organization supporting New Orleans arts, helped fund the making of “Firewalker.” A portion of the album sales will go to Borders’ nonprofit the Borders Foundation, which promotes Black, Indigenous and other

artists of color as well as LGBTQ artists.

Borders has her hand in a number of initiatives focused on supporting musicians from historically marginalized communities.

“I’ve been in this business since 2006, and backstage and behind the scenes, there are not too many people who look like me,” says Borders, who is a queer woman of color. “It’s a very white, male-centric business and that can be overwhelming. I didn’t realize for a long time that I could have a voice in those spaces, and I could advocate for myself and other people.”

In 2018, Borders created Third Coast entertainment, through which she books concerts and works with other musicians of color and LGBTQ musicians. Third Coast also is the home to Borders’ podcast with Kate Duncan, “Great Question with Mia & Kate,” and the last few years, Third Coast also has helped produce and promote the annual Music for Mental Health concert.

Along with Borders, this year’s event on Sept. 5 will feature songwriters John Curry, Arsène Delay, Mike Doussan and Will Murry. The show benefits the Brett Thomas Doussan Foundation, which works to raise awareness for issues surrounding mental health care for musicians. The foundation is named for Brett Thomas Doussan, who died by suicide in 2014, and is run by Doussan’s brother and mother.

Find Mia Borders’ music at miaborders. com. Tickets for the Music for Mental Health event are $16.93 in advance via broadsidenola.com and $22.19 on the day of the show.

Not many entertainers in the last 20 years have been willing to shake up their careers quite like Donald Glover.

Glover got his TV break writing for “30 rock” and acting in “Community,” along with performing stand-up. Meanwhile, Glover’s hip-hop outlet Childish Gambino was tailormade for the blog era, with clever, sometimes nerdy lyrics. But as Glover’s TV and film career shifted to projects like “Atlanta,” so too did Childish Gambino with the p-funk inspired album “Awaken, My Love!” and the massive hit “This Is America.”

Glover is again shaking this up and has said he’s retiring the Childish Gambino persona with the recently released genre-bending album “Bando Stone & The New World,” itself a companion piece to an upcoming film. Childish Gambino plays at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at Smoothie King Center with Willow. Tickets start at $74.50 via smoothiekingcenter.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO BY IBRA AKE

The Rabadash Bash

After a deal to release a new album fell through in 1984, New Orleans pianist John Autin and vocalist Nora Wixted decided to do it themselves and co-founded rabadash records.

In the 40 years since, rabadash has released music by south Louisiana artists like Anders Osborne, Waylon Thibodeaux, Amanda Walker and John Lisi & Delta Funk. rabadash celebrates its 40th anniversary at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7, at Chickie Wah Wah with a showcase of the label’s musicians and friends, including Big Daddy O, Tom McDermott, Serabee, Ingrid Lucia, Laine Bleu and more. Tickets are $24.91 via chickiewahwah.com.

PAGE 31

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NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

Let’s go Saints!

# TC OH EU N T

T H U M B S U P/ THUMBS DOWN

1,330

The Youth Climate Action Fund, an initiative by Bloomberg philanthropies, will support nine projects produced by New Orleans young people to bring attention to and fight against the effects of climate change. The local youth-led projects include an effort to create more sustainable Carnival throws, a podcast about environmental stewardship and a campaign to raise awareness about heat islands in the Little Woods area.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell holds press conference with Thomas Mulligan in 2023.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

LaToya Cantrell’s top permits and enforcement chief quits, latest in string of departures THOMAS MULLIGAN, A TOP AIDE TO NEW ORLEANS MAYOR LATOYA CANTRELL, abruptly resigned from his

The New Orleans City Council has approved dozens of exceptions to short-term rental permit limits.

When the council last year passed new short-term rental regulations limiting STr permits to one per residential block, an appeal process was added for those who missed out on the permit lottery.

The council has granted 44 of 45 exceptions, going against the 30% approval recommendation made by the City planning Commission.

Gov. Jeff Landry issued an executive order last week banning Louisiana K-12 public schools from teaching critical race theory (CrT). CrT is a post-graduate course of study mostly taught in law schools. Conservatives in recent years have used the term CrT to include any topic dealing with race. The order is expected to white wash how the history of slavery and racism are taught in schools across the state.

position as deputy chief administration official, the city announced Friday.

Since 2022, Mulligan has been in the role, which handles working with businesses, code enforcement, permitting and other regulations. Although he was virtually unknown for much of his tenure, Mulligan in recent months has taken on increasing responsibilities within the administration, including an ongoing effort to rewrite the city’s regulatory system.

Mulligan also has found himself at odds with the New Orleans City Council, most notably Vice president Jp Morrell. Morrell has been particularly critical of Mulligan for what the council president views as questionable decision making.

The city said he will leave Aug. 30 but did not give a reason for his departure, only well wishes.

The news seems sudden given how in recent months Mulligan announced several major changes the administration was making and appeared to be leading the charge on them.

As Gambit first reported, in a June letter to Morrell, Mulligan laid out several problems he’d identified with how the Cantrell administration is handling enforcement of the city’s short-term rental laws.

However, one of his solutions included not requiring lawyers to represent the city at every hearing the

city brought against STrs it believed were operating illegally. That led to a contentious back-and-forth with several council members, who insisted lawyers were an important process.

Last month, he informed the council of several big changes the administration had planned for how the city enforces many of its laws in general, as Gambit first reported.

Mulligan’s plan, which he said he’d already begun work on, could have major implications for life in New Orleans, ranging from eliminating overly burdensome permit and inspection rules to relaxing controls on developers and other businesses.

Mulligan holds a phD in philosophy from Tulane and has been a proponent of a so-called “merit-based” system.

Although in his writings he acknowledges systemic discrimination against people of color and women, he is an opponent to most forms of affirmative action and has dismissed the need for diversity in hiring.

Mulligan, who only speaks english and Spanish according to his resume, also has said he spent a relatively brief six-year stint working as a CIA case officer in europe.

Mulligan’s resignation follows the city’s first night mayor stepping down earlier this month. Howie Kaplan, owner of the Howlin’ Wolf, held the position, meant to connect members of the city’s nightlife scene with the city, for two years.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS SINCE THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS HAVE APPEARED IN A PLAYOFF GAME WHEN THE 2024 REGULAR SEASON KICKS OFF SEPTEMBER 8.

Its been a rough couple of years for Saints fans, who’d gotten used to thinking of post-season play as a foregone conclusion during the payton - Brees era. In fact the Saints last playoff appearance, a painful 20 to 30 loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs, ended a four year playoff streak. The silver lining?

That’s 1,330 days in which NFL refs haven’t stolen a playoff game from New Orleans.

C’EST W H AT

?

How far will the New Orleans Saints go this season?

64.5%

IT’LL BE A ROLLERCOASTER SEASON, AND THAT’S ABOUT IT

12.9%

BLACK AND GOLD IN THE SUPER BOWL

19.4%

AT LEAST INTO THE PLAYOFFS

3.2%

TO THE NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Vote on “C’est What?” at www.bestofneworleans.com

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it’s BLACK OUT time

@clancygambit

Jason Williams ‘invited’ into lions’ den over post-conviction relief policy

7732 m a p l e 865 . 9625 mon - sat 10 - 5:30

NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT ATTORNEY JASON WILLIAMS HAS BEEN “INVITED”

to address a state Senate committee on Sept. 5 to explain his policy of letting people convicted years ago get reduced sentences by pleading guilty to reduced charges. The DA has accepted the invitation.

If you’ve ever tried to picture Daniel walking into the lions’ den, tune in to the livestream of the Senate Judiciary C Committee hearing, or watch it later via the legislative archives. It promises to be quite a show, only this time no angel will shut the mouths of the lions. They fully intend to roar, and more.

Williams’ policy of revisiting old cases that he and others believe were not adjudicated fairly has caught the attention of conservative lawmakers and tough-on-crime state Attorney General Liz Murrill. They express concern about the frequency of Williams supporting defendants’ requests for “post-conviction relief.”

Many if not most district attorneys occasionally agree to take another look at past convictions when new evidence suggests that justice was not done. post-conviction relief is not just legal, it’s often necessary.

Virtually all post-conviction relief efforts begin with motions by defense attorneys. Those that succeed rely upon established legal bases, and many are not opposed by district attorneys.

Most DAs, however, seldom enter into post-conviction plea deals. As a matter of policy — and politics — they prefer to burnish their tough-on-crime

First Lady Sharon and Gov. Jeff Landry, with New Orleans DA Jason Williams, State Police Chief Robert P. Hodges and AG Liz Murrill PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

brands rather than risk looking “weak” by showing mercy, even when the law and the facts cry out for justice.

Williams, on the other hand, champions post-conviction relief efforts.

When he ran for DA in 2020, he promised to establish a civil rights division with the express goal of “reckoning with the sins of the past,” particularly those dealing with people convicted by non-unanimous juries.

New Orleans voters gave Williams 58% of the vote based on that promise, which he kept. His office has acquiesced in hundreds of post-conviction relief motions that led to reduced sentences and some releases from prison.

Before he won the race for Orleans parish DA in 2020, Williams had made quite a name for himself — and quite a nice living — as a criminal defense attorney. As an at-large New Orleans City Council member for seven years, he often sparred with then-DA Leon Cannizzaro over Cannizzaro’s lockem-up-and-throw-away-the-key approach to criminal justice.

In the run-up to the DA’s race, public opinion had turned so strongly against Cannizzaro for his heavy-handed approach to justice that the two-term PAGE 10

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DA declined to seek re-election rather than face humiliation at the hands of Williams.

A few months after his term as DA ended, Cannizzaro went to work for then-Attorney General Jeff Landry as Landry’s new criminal division chief.

He continues in that role under new AG Murrill.

No one can dispute Cannizzaro’s qualifications for that job. He previously served for years as a respected trial court and appellate judge, as DA for 12 years and as a public defender.

One can, however, speculate as to his, Murrill’s and now-Gov. Landry’s motives for supporting a new law that restricts future post-conviction relief deals. Act 10 of the governor’s special session on crime imposes strict legal time limits on deals struck years after a conviction — and authorizes Murrill to challenge such deals.

The new law took effect Aug. 1.

Williams’ critics say he accelerated post-conviction deals before that date. They add that Williams is an out-of-step DA who needs to be reined in.

Williams responds that he’s upholding justice, a legal and ethical mandate for all DAs. “I cannot turn a blind eye when evidence is presented in a court of law to an injustice or violation of the Constitution that must be dealt with,” Williams said, adding that New Orleans for decades “had the highest imprisonment rate, the highest wrongful incarceration rate, the highest life-without-parole rate and

PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

the highest exoneration rate of any city in the country.”

Moreover, there’s political danger in treading on district attorneys’ turf. Most are valuable allies at election time.

State Sen. Jay Morris, chair of the Judiciary C Committee, acknowledged that DAs are concerned about how his committee hearing will play out — particularly since many of them have endorsed post-conviction deals themselves, though far less frequently than Williams. That includes Cannizzaro when he was DA. “The general consensus I’m getting from a lot of DAs is, ‘Whatever you do, please don’t punish us for what Jason’s doing,’” Morris said.

There’s also an open question as to the constitutionality of the new law limiting DA’s use of post-conviction relief. The Louisiana Constitution gives district attorneys total discretion in deciding whether, and how severely, to charge defendants.

The Louisiana Supreme Court reinforced that provision in a case involving post-conviction relief last year, stating that a district attorney “has absolute discretion” to support post-conviction relief when warranted, adding, “This broad authority is necessary because a prosecutor’s responsibility is as ‘a minister of justice and not simply that of an advocate.’ ” We’ll see soon enough how the legislative lions feel about that.

11

@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake,

Tailgate

I found a vintage postcard for a place called the Hotel Royal.

It doesn’t mention the location but is dated from 1907. What do you know?

Ready BOO!

Dear reader,

THE HOTEL ROYAL IS NO MORE, BUT LEGENDARY HOTELS HAVE OPERATED at its former

location in the French Quarter for decades, including the St. Louis Hotel and the Omni royal Orleans Hotel.

A November 1884 article in The Daily picayune explains that the Hotel royal opened that year at royal and St. Louis streets, on the former site of the St. Louis Hotel which had operated at the same address since the 1830s.

“The new Hotel royal that has sprung into grandeur from out of the decayed and ancient hull of the old hostelry, the St. Louis, has a situation that is delightfully foreign and which will probably render it a hotel with peculiar charms for the sightseeing visitor who is fond of quaint things,” the picayune wrote.

The hotel had 400 rooms, a bar, three large dining rooms, parlors and a ladies’ entrance on royal Street.

The hotel sought to capitalize on the success of the St. Louis Hotel and exchange, a grand structure described by the Daily picayune with a “magnificent hall where merchants congregated, the saloon where beauty gathered for the dance, the elegantly furnished hotel, the bar room, the billiard room (and) numerous offices and stores.”

As geographer and historian richard

Study medicine in Australia and New Orleans at a top-50 world university.

The Omni Royal Orleans Hotel now sits on the site of the St. Louis Hotel and the Hotel Royal.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Campanella explained in a 2015 article for preservation in print, an 1840 fire destroyed the hotel. It was quickly rebuilt and Campanella describes it as “the nucleus of Creole business and society.” That included commerce of all types, including the auctions of enslaved people, conducted beneath the hotel’s 88-foot-high dome.

The building closed during the Civil War and was later sold to the State of Louisiana, becoming for a time the de facto state capitol building.

It returned to its original use in the 1880s as the Hotel royal. A 1915 hurricane destroyed the building and it was demolished.

The property sat vacant for decades before the royal Orleans Hotel was built there in 1960. The hotel’s exterior was designed by noted architect Samuel Wilson Jr. while the interior was designed by Arthur Q. Davis.

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THIS WEEK WE TOAST THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF AN ICONIC NEW ORLEANS SPOT, the Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone. The revolving French Quarter lounge with the carousel theme opened its doors on Sept. 3, 1949. “Its gala opening Saturday night was attended by a marveling, enthusiastic public who have made every night since a repeat performance,” reported The New Orleans Item on Sept.

7, 1949. The newspaper described the bar and lounge as the “pride and joy of (proprietor) Frank Monteleone who…determined the bar would be different, original, outstanding in this city of a thousand other bars.”

According to the hotel, the carousel bar — featuring 25 hand-painted carousel seats and 186 twinkling lights — slowly completes a full rotation every 15 minutes.

Throughout its 75 years, the bar has welcomed visitors from around the world and become a beloved spot after a night out in the French Quarter. It was recently voted Best Hotel Bar in USA Today’s 10 Best readers’ Choice Awards.

The bar created an iconic New Orleans cocktail, the Vieux Carre, which was invented by hotel bartender Walter Bergeron. It and other signature cocktails will be featured during special anniversary events at the bar Sept. 15-21. For more information visit hotelmonteleone.com.

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Head Quarterss

BY NICE GUYS NOLA

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Reservations Available on Open Table

504-217-6851

13

eat your feelings New Orleans chefs and bartenders share game day recipes from bahn mi wontons to pitchers of rum punch

by WILL COVIELLO, SARAH RAVITS AND JOHN STANTON

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

LET’S FACE IT, THIS YEAR’S SAINTS SEASON is going to be a rough one for fans, no matter how well the team does.

While we’re still nowhere near the point of dusting off our paper bags, Saints fans are definitely worried after several years of inconsistent play, questionable personnel moves and generally lackluster performance from the coaching staff on down. Which means Sundays are going to be stressful for the faithful in the 504.

But this still is New Orleans, and if there’s one thing we love more than the Saints it is a party – which, of course, requires delicious food and drinks!

Obviously, the centerpiece of any game-watching party worth its weight will be several bags of Juvie’s 400 Degreez CheeWees snacks. That’s a given. But a fan cannot live on CheeWees alone (as our editor’s doctor has told him repeatedly).

So we asked some of our favorite chefs and bartenders from around New Orleans to come up with some easy, delicious recipes for food and large batch cocktails you can make at home to help ease the stress of 17 weeks’ worth of anxiety inducing Sundays!

14 G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

Nate Barfield and Mason Hereford

Nate’s Habanero Pineapple Wings F R O M N AT E B A R F I E L D A N D MASON HEREFORD

Nate’s Pineapple Habanero White BBQ Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

» 12 full wings or 24 wing sections » ¼ cup granulated garlic » 2 tablespoons black pepper » 1 ½ tablespoon salt

» One 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks in 100% pineapple juice (with no added sugar) » 1 cup mayo (we recommend Duke’s) » 1 tablespoon white vinegar » ½ teaspoon garlic powder » 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper » 1 teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal or about half as much Morton) or to taste » 1 tablespoon habanero hot sauce (like El Yukateco) or more to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine granulated garlic, black pepper and salt. Toss wings in spice mixture and refrigerate for at least four hours. Smoke the wings in a smoker at 300°F for 1 hour. If you don’t have a smoker, grilling would be the next best option, but it works great however you like to cook wings. Remove wings from smoker and toss in pineapple habanero sauce and serve immediately.

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the pineapple habanero white barbecue sauce, puree the pineapple chunks including the pineapple juice from the can and add to a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring fairly often (and very often toward the end) for 25-30 minutes, until the pineapple puree is as thick as mayo and has been reduced to the volume of half a cup. It will caramelize a bit in the pan, taking it from a bright yellow to the color of an apricot. Put the contents in a small mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients: mayo, white vinegar, garlic powder, black pepper, salt and habanero hot sauce. Stir together until completely combined and reserve in the refrigerator.

The sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time. After about a week, the pineapple flavor begins to fade a bit, but it’s still tasty.

PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Nate Barfield opened Hot Stuff with Mason Hereford of Turkey and the Wolf and Hungry Eyes. Hot Stuff offers elevated dishes in a meatand-three format.

15

Loaded Banh Mi-Style Wonton Nachos

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

Chef Tung Nguyen owns Slo & Pho at St. Roch Market and this summer competed on the Netflix cooking competition “Barbecue Showdown.” This dish combines barbecue and Vietnamese cuisine.

FROM TUNG NGUYEN INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

» 1 package wonton wrappers (about 30-40 wrappers) » Vegetable oil (for frying) » 8 ounces smoked pulled pork For the banh mi toppings: » 1 cup pickled carrots and daikon » 1 cucumber, thinly sliced » 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced » ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves » 2 tablespoons Sriracha mayo (for drizzling) » 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (for drizzling) » 2 Maggi seasoning sauce

For pulled pork: Preheat your smoker to 225°F Wood choice: Use hickory, applewood or a mix of hardwoods for smoking. Hickory adds a strong, classic barbecue flavor, while fruitwoods like apple or cherry lend a sweeter, milder smoke. I use Kosmo’s Q Killer Honey Bee for my rub. Smoke for 4-5 hours until the internal temperature reaches about 165°F. During this time, spritz the pork with the apple juice, Worcestershire sauce and water mixture every hour to keep it moist.

Make the wonton chips.

Frying method: Heat about 1-2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Cut the wonton wrappers in half diagonally to make triangles. Fry them in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 1-2 minutes per batch. Remove and drain on paper towels.

To assemble the nachos: Arrange the wonton chips on a large serving platter. Top with the cooked pulled pork, spreading it evenly over the chips. Add Maggi seasoning sauce to pork. Add the pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber slices, jalapeno slices, cilantro. For a finishing touch, drizzle with Sriracha mayo and hoisin sauce.

Trey Rintala offers an inventive menu of “stoner food meets French technique” at Bertie’s Intergalactic Diner, a resident pop-up at Carrollton Station.

Savory Basque Pimento Cheesecake

F R O M T R E Y R I N TA L A INGREDIENTS:

» Unsalted butter » 2 lbs. cream cheese, room temperature » 6 large eggs » 2 cups heavy cream » 2 roasted red peppers, diced » 1 lb. sharp cheddar, shredded » 1 bunch green onions, sliced » 1/3 cup hot sauce » 2 teaspoons salt » 1/3 cup all-purpose flour Chef Trey Rintala (right) with spouse Meryl Zimmerman PHOTO PROVIDED BY TREY RINTALA

S P E C I A L E Q U I P M E N T:

» 10-inch springform pan » Parchment paper » Fine mesh sieve » Stand mixer or handheld mixer

Chef Tung Nguyen PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°F. Brush pan with unsalted butter, then line with two overlapping 16x12-inch sheets of parchment paper, making sure parchment comes at least 2 inches above top of pan on all sides. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

Beat cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed (or a handheld mixer), scraping down sides of the bowl until very smooth (about 2 minutes). Increase speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl, then reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add heavy cream, hot sauce and salt, and beat until combined. Turn off mixer and sift flour evenly over cream cheese mixture using a fine-mesh sieve. Beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl again and continue to beat until batter is very smooth. Fold in cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers and green onions. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cheesecake until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center, about 60–65 minutes. Let cool slightly (cake will collapse drastically as it cools), then unmold. Let cool completely.

Carefully peel away parchment from sides of cheesecake. Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature with pepper jelly, crudite, crusty bread and crackers.

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16

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

Blackened Salmon Sliders

F R O M S H O N DA C R O S S

Great Chardonnays

for Every Budget Chef Shonda Cross PHOTO BY ZACK SMITH / PROVIDED PHOTO

Chef Shonda Cross was the sous chef at Compere Lapin before starting her own culinary business. Find her at @chef_shonda on Instagram.

DECOY Chardonnay 750 ML • $14.99

JOSH Chardonnay 750 ML | $10.99

BENCH Chardonnay 750 ML | $19.99

SONOMA-CUTRER Chardonnay 750 ML | $22.99

BUTTER Chardonnay 750 ML | $14.99

SHORTBREAD Chardonnay 750 ML | $14.99

710 VETERANS MEMORIAL BLVD. | METAIRIE | DORIGNACS.COM (504) 834-8216 | OPEN 7AM-8PM EVERYDAY

INGREDIENTS:

» 1 lb. fresh salmon fillet Blackening seasonings: » 1 tablespoon. olive oil » 1 bunch green onion, finely chopped » 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped » 1 cup panko breadcrumbs » 2 large eggs, lightly beaten » 1/2 cup mayonnaise » 2 teaspoons hot sauce » 2 teaspoons Worcestershire » 2 tablespoons olive oil (for frying) » Slider buns Slaw: » 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded » 1 bunch green onions, julienned » 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (mix by hand in small bowl) Sauce: » 2 tablespoons Sriracha » 1/2 cup mayonnaise » (whisk together)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare the salmon. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the salmon fillet on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil and coat fillet in blackening seasoning. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through. Let it cool, then flake the salmon with a fork, discarding the skin and any bones.

Sauté vegetables. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the green onion and bell pepper, and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Mix Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flaked salmon, sautéed vegetables, panko breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Form patties. Shape the mixture into patties, about 1/2 inch thick. You should get around 8 patties.

Cook patties. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the salmon patties.

Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy.

Serve. Remove the patties from the skillet and drain on paper towels. Serve warm on slider bun with Sriracha mayo and slaw.

17 G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

2024 SAINTS ISSUE Here’s a trio of dishes from former Gambit 40 Under 40 winner and friend of the paper Eric Mark.

Magnificent Mirlitons

F R O M E R I C M A R K , AWA R D W I N N I N G C H E F A N D E D U CAT O R INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

» 5 mirlitons, peeled and seeded » 6 ounces butter » 2 onions, diced » 2 teaspoons minced garlic » 6 squash, diced small » 6 zucchini, diced small » 4 carrots, diced small » 4 parsnips, diced small » 1/2 cup basil » 1/4 cup oregano » 2 ounces tamarind paste » 1/4 cup Thai chili seasoning » 1 ounce Cajun seasoning » 1/4 cup vegetable stock » 1 tablespoon cornstarch » Honey

Ball out middle of the mirlitons and set aside, rub shell with honey and roast for 20 to 30 minutes.

In a heavy skillet, heat butter on medium high. Add onions and garlic, once those have softened add reserved mirliton. Then add carrots and parsnips. After a few minutes, add squash and zucchini.

Add basil and oregano. Cook for 3 minutes then add remainder of seasoning and tamarind paste. In a separate bowl, combine stock and cornstarch and add to vegetables.

Remove from heat, fill roasted mirlitons and serve.

Diver Scallop Ceviche

Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

» 24 Key limes, juiced and zested » 1 cup crushed pineapple » 4 tablespoons olive oil » 1 tablespoon ground cumin » 1 tablespoon ground coriander » 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper » 1 tablespoon ground ginger » 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds » 1 teaspoon honey » 1 lbs. fresh diver scallops (or large farm raised if unavailable) » 1 cup diced red onion » 1 cup diced red bell pepper » 1 cup diced green bell pepper » 1 jalapeno, minced and seeded » Minced cilantro to taste » Salt and pepper to taste

» 3 ounces chopped bacon » 4 ounces diced onion » 1/2 ounce truffle oil » 1 ½ cups wild mushroom blend (or whatever mushrooms you like) » 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning » 1 cup milk » 2 teaspoons onion powder » 1 teaspoon garlic powder » 4 ounces butter » 3 eggs » 1/2 loaf of French bread

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine lime zest, juice, pineapple, olive oil, spice and honey.

Set aside. Clean and wash scallops, then each in half against the grain. Add scallops, vegetables and cilantro to mixture, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 3 hours.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sauté bacon until partially cooked, then add onions. Cook until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms and truffle oil. Cook for 3 minutes and remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, combine seasonings, milk, butter and eggs.

Blend well. Pour over bread and fold in mushroom mix. Rest for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350° F and then bake for 25 minutes.

PROVIDED PHOTO

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

18

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

2024 SCHEDULE HOME GAMES IN GOLD *SELECT GAME TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

WEEK

DATE

1

W

OPPONENT

TIME

TV

SUNDAY SEP. 8

CAROLINA PANTHERS

NOON

FOX

2

SUNDAY SEP. 15

AT DALLAS COWBOYS

NOON

FOX

3

SUNDAY SEP. 22

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

NOON

FOX

4

SUNDAY SEP. 29

AT ATLANTA FALCONS

NOON

FOX

5

MONDAY OCT. 7

AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

7:15 PM

ESPN

6

SUNDAY OCT. 13

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

NOON

FOX

7

THURSDAY OCT. 17

DENVER BRONCOS

7:15 PM

PRIME VIDEO

8

SUNDAY OCT. 27

AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 3:05 PM

FOX

9

SUNDAY NOV. 3

AT CAROLINA PANTHERS

NOON

CBS

10

SUNDAY NOV. 10

ATLANTA FALCONS

NOON

FOX

11

SUNDAY NOV. 17

CLEVELAND BROWNS

NOON

FOX

12

BYE

13

SUNDAY DEC. 1

LOS ANGELES RAMS

3:05 PM

FOX

14

SUNDAY DEC. 8

AT NEW YORK GIANTS

NOON

FOX

15

SUNDAY DEC. 15

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS NOON

FOX

16

MONDAY DEC. 23

AT GREEN BAY PACKERS

7:15 PM

ESPN*

17

SUNDAY DEC. 29

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

NOON

FOX

18

TBD

AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS TBD

TBD

L

19

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FOR FANS OF

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20

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

batch drinks Thank you, Breesus

BY CU R E

INGREDIENTS:

» 1 750-milliliter bottle Pinhook Bourbon » 1 cup lemon oleo (peels of lemons in white sugar for 24 hours) » 1 cup lemon juice » 2 ounces overproof Jamaican rum » 24 ounces Q ginger ale or ginger beer if you like more spice » 12 ounces sparkling water » 10-12 dashes Angostura bitters INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl. Add ice to punch bowl to cool it down. Serve over ice and add additional bitters if necessary.

Garnish with lemon wheels.

Neal Bodenheimer, owner and founder of Cure PHOTO BY GERALD HERBERT / THE AP

Palomas in Padua

(S E RVES 40)

BY AMB E R GARCI A , B A R M A N AG E R AT TA N A INGREDIENTS:

» 7 ½ cups blanco tequila » 2 ½ cups Aperol » 3 ¾ cups grapefruit juice » 1 ¾ cups lime juice » 3 ¾ cups simple syrup* *To make the simple syrup add equal parts water and sugar to a pot on medium heat and stir until dissolved.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher.

To serve, pour over ice and garnish with grapefruit or lime wedge, or dehydrated lime wheel.

Amber Garcia, bar manager at Tana PHOTO PROVIDED BY TANA

®

THE #1 DRINK IN NEW ORLEANS!

Gameday Champagne Punch

B Y T. C O L E N E W TO N AT T W E LV E MILE LIMIT INGREDIENTS:

» 12 ounces dry gin » 6 ounces lemon juice » 6 ounces pomegranate syrup* » 12 ounces sparkling water » 1 750-milliliter bottle sparkling wine » 12 dashes orange bitters INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a half-gallon pitcher or punch bowl and stir lightly. *To make pomegranate syrup, heat pomegranate juice (Pom brand or similar) until steaming, and stir in an equal volume of granulated sugar until sugar is fully dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to use.

T. Cole Newton PROVIDED PHOTO BY JOSH BRASTED

Littlle Tropical Isle 435 BOUR RBON Tropical Isle Original 600 BOURBON Tropical Isle’s Bayou Club 610 BOURBON Tropical Isle 721 BOURBON Honky Tonk 727 Bourbon

Weekend S pecials

And finally, the ladies at Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou in Arabi provided us with three delicious batch cocktail recipes – all of which can be pre-ordered from the bar in half gallon jugs if you don’t want to make them on your own!

AUGUST 31 & sept. 1 Smoked short ribs

with smoked Mac and cheese and smothered green beans

Veal roulette

over angel hair pasta and roulette sauce

Crawfish enchiladas

Lisa McCracken, Muriel Altikriti and Kelly Sheeran of Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou

with Spanish rice and black beans

Jerk chicken

PROVIDED PHOTO

with rice and peas and collard greens

Crawfish etoufée with fried catfish

Dome Patrol Paloma

Black & Gold Rush

Watermelon Mojito

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

» 3.75 cups tequila » 1.25 ounces lime juice » add Squirt grapefruit soda to liking

» 3¾ cups bourbon » 1¾ cups honey syrup » 1¼ cups lemon juice

» 3¾ cups white rum » 1¼ cups lime juice » 1¾ cups mint simple syrup » 4 cups watermelon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine ingredients, serve over ice, garnish with Jalapeño

Combine and serve over ice & add dash bitters

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine and serve over ice

Italian Sausage

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Jumbo Shell Pasta

3701 iberville st • 504.488.6582 katiesinmidcity.com Mon-Thurs 11am-9pm Fri & Sat 11am-10pm • Sun 10am-5pm

21 G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

HAND GRENADE

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

22

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

ATTENTION BARS & RESTAURANTS

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Reach more than A QUARTER MILLION READERS

TEPHANIE WILLIAMS, AKA SUPERFAN STEPH, is known for her infectious enthusiasm for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. She’s recognizable around the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center, decked out in team memorabilia and her signature gold shoes.

Her fandom and commitment to community service even earned her the honor of Saints Fan of the Year in 2020.

Williams has become even more identifiable since she starred in an especially emotional episode of Season 7 of “Queer Eye,” when she bravely opened up about the hardships of being a gay woman in the South, and got a complete makeover from the Fab Five that helped boost her confidence.

In between gearing up for football season and planning her wedding, she’s been using her growing social media platform (@nolasteph504 on Instagram) to inspire people to be proud of who they are, raising money for numerous charities and navigating the ups and downs of being a New Orleans sports fan. Williams also moderates a Facebook group called The Nation that brings together more than 3,000 Saints fans from around the world. She talked to Gambit ahead of the start of the 2024 season to share her game day rituals and what it’s like to connect with fans all over.

(Ed. Note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.)

250 locations across the greater New Orleans area Inserted into all copies of the Times-Picayune home delivery to paid subscribers Emailed to 60,000 Gambytes email subscribers Shared on the Gambit and nola.com social media pages ISSUE DATE: SEPTEMBER 30 DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 20 CONTACT SALES & MARKETING MANAGER ABIGAIL BORDELON 504-636-7427 OR ABIGAIL.BORDELON@GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

What are your Saints game day rituals or superstitions?

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS: The Fan of the Year jersey never gets washed. So many legends have signed the back. I try to wear it as much as possible.

I get to the games early. I annoy everybody that rides with me because I have to get there before Champions Square opens. I want to be there to take in the whole experience. Also, I wear specific

jerseys for specific games. If we’re playing the Falcons, I wear a No White Flags (former Saints player Steve Gleason’s motto) shirt, and a Steve Gleason jersey. There are jerseys for each game. And I always wear gold shoes.

Do you have a favorite player?

W: Cam Jordan, for his dedication to his craft on the field and to the community off the field. I don’t think there’s a player who does more than Cam. He cares about his

2024 SAINTS ISSUE

What are your favorite things to eat and drink at the Superdome?

W: My go-to beverage is a Bloody Mary. And I love a good bucket of popcorn because it helps with my nerves, having something to munch on. I’m still checking out all the renovations in the Dome. I love the roast beef po-boy, but I’ve got my head on a swivel (because of expanded food options). So for a meal: a po-boy; for a snack, just so much sodium. (Laughs) My blood pressure is sky-high after the games, for food reasons and anxiety reasons.

How do you celebrate when the Saints win?

W: I always bring this small umbrella they gave to us at the draft. It’s a Saints umbrella with fringe around it. I always celebrate with a second line. We second line out of the Dome, and it’s so much fun. It hasn’t happened enough recently, but hopefully that changes.

Then I like to go live (on social media) and show everyone what’s happening by the Claiborne Bridge, and show the world how we live.

There are always tailgaters, everybody’s cutting up, it’s pure joy. Race doesn’t matter, gender doesn’t matter, it’s like a pot of gumbo of people just loving life.

It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. Nothing matters. It’s just a celebration in the street. We have so many people in our Saints group who aren’t here. People in California, Tennessee are like, “I wish I was there” ... It’s unifying.

What are some of your fondest memories of the Saints over the years?

W: We didn’t have a lot of money

growing up, so going to the game couldn’t happen very often. When it did, it was a luxury.

I remember being there when you could sit anywhere in the Superdome because it was so empty – no one cared where you sat. As a kid, it was like being in a candy shop. You could go to the (first row). I just remember taking in how big the Superdome was.

When I got older, becoming a season ticket holder was like a bucket list thing for me. It was

about five or six years ago. I’d been on the waitlist since college and I thought I’d never get it, it was like a ‘Hallelujah!’ moment.

And of course when they won the Super Bowl (in 2010), that entire run. It was not just the city, but the whole entire Gulf South came together.

They did a Super Bowl tour where you could see the trophy, and that’s when I started to really enjoy memorabilia.

Other memories are being named a Fan of the Year (in 2020), going to the draft and announcing (former Saints quarterback) Ian Book at the 2021 draft and being able to meet the players.

It makes your fandom really grow to a different level, because you see how genuine (the players) are and how much they care about the city and the people. And that makes you want to root for them, even when they’re doing badly.

Saints Super Fan Steph Williams PHOTO BY SARAH RAVITS

What do you do for away games?

W: I try to go to two or three away games per season. I love to travel and see different venues, especially bucket list places, like Green Bay’s Lambeau Field. We do a lot of community work ...

Atlanta was having a food bank crisis, so I connected with a food bank person there. If we travel, we try to do something for (other communities). Any time we try to do stuff, it’s about giving back. I’m not about negativity.

We also do watch parties at places like The Beachcorner (in Mid-City). Everybody’s always looking for a place to watch the game, and we want to be around good fans.

We’ll do a podcast or a live (on social media) thing, and also, we’ll do some type of fundraiser. We’ve worked with Team Gleason. We put together a thing for them and raised $7,000 for them. We try to have a silver lining. We want to have a party, and we want to have fun, but at the end of the day we also want to make sure we’re giving back.

You were already well-recognized as a diehard Saints fan. Then you were on “Queer Eye.” Do people come up to you all the time now?

W: Early on, whenever it aired back in May (2023), I was getting stopped at the airports, cafes, and in different cities. I got stopped in Mexico at the airport. My face was

on the bookmark on Netflix.

It was really eye-opening to see how many people I touched.

I wasn’t thinking it was going to be as big as it was. I had messages from people in other countries that I had to translate, and I’d have to translate back to them.

And there was one from someone who was like, “My mom had trouble communicating with me when I came out, but she saw the episode, and for the first time ever she bought me a Pride shirt.”

It was like, “Damn, I thought I was alone!”

I took this risk to do this, to be vulnerable, and it’s helping so many people. So it’s nice to be an LGBTQ Saints fan, because we’re not as visible. It’s nice to just bring positivity to people and awareness (about issues queer people face).

I’ve been really focused on using my platform to be a positive role model as much as I can.

Any final thoughts on what it means to be a Saints fan?

W: Being a Saints fan is more

than just being a fan. It’s a community, it’s the city, it’s the people around you. When I go to the games, and with my “Queer Eye” background, it’s like, no one cares about who you’re dating or your background. We’re all wearing the same jersey. If we could put that (attitude) into everyday life, it would be such a better place.

We can do it, but we have to carry

Fan of the Year sneakers PHOTO BY SARAH RAVITS

Williams holds up a jersey that’s been worn by Cam Jordan.

PHOTO BY SARAH RAVITS

over that kindness. Use your fandom and your voice to have a positive impact.

There’s a sign I saw in the Superdome from Tom and Gayle Benson.

It says, “Legacy isn’t what you leave for people, it’s what you leave in people.”

That sticks with me. It’s like, don’t just be a Saint in the Superdome, be a Saint in the community.

G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

craft, he’s reliable, he plays every game – he works his tail off. And when he could rest, he chooses to go and help the community and be there for kids. He doesn’t have to, but he genuinely wants to.

23

24 G AMBIT > BESTOFNE WORLE ANS.COM > SepTeMBer 2 - 8 > 2024

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Ru ss?

MAIN HOSPITAL

Freret Street Clinic

Marigny Clinic

4525 Freret Street

1009 Elysian Fields Avenue

101 Metairie Road Metairie, LA 70005

New Orleans, LA 70115

New Orleans, LA 70117

504-830-4095

504-372-2950

Kenner Clinic

Lakeview Clinic

West Esplanade Clinic

4041 Williams Blvd.

734 Allen Toussaint Blvd.

5040 West Esplanade Avenue

Kenner, LA 70065

New Orleans, LA 70124

Metairie, LA 70006

504-443-4400

504-830-4080

504-455-2345

24/7 EMERGENCY CARE 504-835-4266

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7910 EARHART BLVD | (504) 302-2404 | NICEGUYSNOLA.COM Nice Guys NOLA provides a distinctive dining experience, blending New Orleans’ culinary heritage with innovative twists. Visit before, during, or after the game for great food and a lively patio atmosphere.

Headquarters by Nice Guys

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445 S RAMPART ST | (504) 217-6851 | HEADQUARTERSNOLA.COM Headquarters by Nice Guys NOLA serves up a delicious brunch to kick off your game day, featuring dishes like fried catfish and grits, praline chicken and waffles, and seafood omelets.

With brunch available Saturday to Monday, come enjoy a vibrant atmosphere and indulge in mouth-watering flavors before heading to the game!

Mister Oso / Ohm Lounge 601 TCHOUPITOULAS ST | (504) 285-2798 | MISTEROSONOLA.COM Get ready, Who Dat Nation! The Best Saints Party in NOLA returns! Kick off with Mannie Fresh Sunday, September 8th and Party on with Choppa on Sunday, September 22nd. Catch the game on indoor and outdoor TVs with food and drinks by Mister Oso and Ohm Lounge. Secure VIP Bottle service now – 504-400-7335

Mother’s 401 POYDRAS ST | (504) 523-9656 Join us before or after the game for a Spicy bloody Mary , Mimosa , Beer or Wine and enjoy our all day Breakfast or Famous Ferdi Special.

Legacy Kitchen Craft Tavern

Relax on our

TROPICAL COURTYARD OR SIDEWALK SEATING

with a fresh cocktail, wine or dinner!

700 TCHOUPITOULAS ST #3612 | (504) 613-2350 Nestled in the heart of the New Orleans Warehouse and Arts District, Craft Tavern offers a delightful blend of locally inspired small and large plates, craft cocktails, and beers in a chic industrial setting. With a focus on Louisiana Creole cuisine and a daily brunch, it’s the perfect spot for gameday gatherings, complete with a relaxed tavern and lounge atmosphere.

Bourbon House by Dickie Brennan 144 BOURBON ST | (504) 522-0111 | BOURBONHOUSE.COM Score big during Saints games at Bourbon House by Dickie Brennan! Enjoy an unbeatable Happy Hour with specials on oysters, cocktails, bar bites and more all while cheering on the Saints. Don’t miss a great game day experience in the heart of the French Quarter

Katie’s Restaurant 3701 IBERVILLE ST | (504) 488-6582 | KATIESINMIDCITY.COM Although bright, shiny, and new inside and out, the heart and soul of Katie’s Restaurant and Bar as an old-school, family-operated neighborhood restaurant, still echoes the visions of founder Mr. Leo Leininger. Katie’s is the place to be for gamedays with our brand-new TV’s and $5 drink specials Monday-Friday!

Erin Rose

Urban South OPEN THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 4PM - 10PM 720 ORLEANS AVE. • 504.523.1930 • WWW.ORLEANSGRAPEVINE.COM

1645 TCHOUPITOULAS ST | (504) 267-4852 | URBANSOUTH.COM Urban South is the go-to spot for all football fans! Come celebrate every game day with delicious beer and food specials, over 15 TVs and projectors, and an exciting atmosphere that’s perfect for the whole family!

SPONSORED CONTENT

811 CONTI ST | (504) 522-3573 | ERINROSEBAR.COM This French Quarter bar is known for its welcoming atmosphere, delicious Bloody Marys, famous frozen Irish Coffees, and great music. Home to the renowned Killer Poboys and open 21 hours a day, it offers cocktails, casual bites, and sports on TV—making it the ideal spot to cheer for your team with a Frozen Irish Coffee or Bloody Mary.

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Southerns fried

FORK + CENTER

Southerns food truck opens a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Metairie | by Beth D’Addono

FRIED CHICKEN THIGH SANDWICHES

weren’t always a thing. recently, they have been behind fast-food trends and they take their place on upscale menus, like Atchafalaya’s Korean fried chicken sandwich with gochujang honey.

Southerns co-founders Anthony Cruz and Gene Colley debuted their shatteringly crisp and juicy fried chicken sandwiches at their first food truck in 2017. To say it was a hit is like saying Taylor Swift is popular. The accolades rolled in, including an award at the Fried Chicken Festival.

“We spent six months looking for the best fried chicken sandwich in town, but it seemed like an afterthought when we could find one,” says Cruz, the chef in the duo. “So we made it ourselves.”

Now, devotees accustomed to stalking Southerns’ Instagram page for food truck locations can drive to Metairie, where the brick-and-mortar Southerns just opened at 4620 Veterans Memorial Blvd.

When they started, both friends were working full time. The Californiaborn Cruz had taken a break from fine dining jobs to work in addiction and behavioral health. At 10 years sober, the job reflected a very personal commitment. Colley, who grew up in Metairie, was working in his family’s warehousing business. On weekends, they took the food truck to festivals.

“The chicken was selling so well, we kind of looked at each other and said, ‘What if this really takes off?” he says. “We could quit our jobs and do this full time.”

That is exactly what happened.

The pandemic couldn’t stop them, and Colley built out two more trucks to keep up with the demand. They currently have two in use for festivals and catering.

“Our wives thought we were crazy,” Colley says. “They doubted us the whole way. Now they wear Southerns shirts everywhere.”

Cruz used the same formula in designing the menu that chefs in fine dining restaurants apply to their

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

Stadium upgrade

TULANE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL FANS HAVE HAD MORE TO CHEER lately as

Anthony Cruz and Gene Colley opened Southerns in Metairie.

cuisine. Their chicken is always fresh, never frozen. They grind their own mix for the popular queso burger, a blend of chuck, brisket and short rib. Their popular pastrami fried rice boudin takes 12 days to get to smoky perfection.

“The one thing the best chefs do right is pay attention to the quality of the product,” he says.

Because tenderness must be coaxed, the chicken tenders and breasts are dry brined for 24 hours, then soaked in a liquid brine for another 24 hours. Cruz creates the spice rubs for spice levels ranging from mild and spicy to “Super Freakin’ Hot” and “Underground,” which has a skull and crossbones next to it on the menu.

He also makes all the sauces, including a Thai flavored phuket sauce, a roasted tomato aioli and evan’s honey mustard named for a team member.

Cruz, who is half Filipino, grew up cooking and eating Filipino food. He channels some of those flavors at Southerns in items like the adobo pork belly cracklings.

In 2006, he was contemplating going to culinary school when he

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT

saw a cookbook recipe for oysters rockefeller that noted it was first made at Antoine’s. He called the storied restaurant and asked if it was hiring. He didn’t get the job but did get one at Napoleon House and went on to work at emeril’s NOLA and Susan Spicer’s Bayona, among other spots.

At the restaurant’s recent soft opening event, it was obvious that the local hospitality community was thrilled at Southerns’ success. Chefs in attendance included Spicer, Adolfo Garcia, richard rose and his wife Jackie Diaz from Jamaican Jerk House and Marlon “Chicken” Williams from Chicken’s Kitchen.

The fast-casual restaurant offers counter service. The decor features clean lines and the brand’s signature red and white color scheme throughout, and there’s plenty of parking.

If it seems designed for replication, that’s no accident.

“It’s hard not to think of the future,” Colley says. “We have ideas, but let’s see how this goes first.”

?

WHAT

WHERE

WHEN

HOW

CHECK IT OUT

Southerns

4620 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 345-2097; @southernsfood on Instagram

Lunch and dinner daily

Dine-in

A new fast-casual fried chicken sandwich spot in Metairie

the Green Wave has been on the rise.

As a new season begins, things are looking up for food at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium, too.

The key ingredient has been making more New Orleans restaurants and local brands part of the game day experience. It’s been growing progressively, raising the quality of the food in the stadium and giving the concession stands a more pronounced sense of New Orleans place.

One major addition for the 2024 season underscores this change with seafood platters that arrive in football-shaped bowls, from a family known as ambassadors for New Orleans flavor. edgar “Dook” Chase IV is a restaurateur from the fourth generation of the family behind the landmark Dooky Chase’s restaurant, with his own restaurants downtown (Chapter IV) and

Edgar ‘Dook’ Chase IV has two food concession stands at Tulane University’s Yulman Stadium.

PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (Leah’s Kitchen and Dook’s Burgers).

Now he also has two adjacent stands in the Yulman concourse, both at section 125.

Dook’s Tackle Box makes an impression with fried shrimp, oysters or catfish piled over waffle fries and served in plastic football-shaped bowls, akin to the ballpark novelty of batting helmet nachos. right next door is a second location of Dook’s Burgers, serving burgers, chicken tenders and fried chicken sandwiches topped with pickled onions.

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FORK & CENTER

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“We’re giving people a taste of who we are by representing the seafood here,” Chase says. “especially for the visiting team, we want to give them a sense of local flavor, and say, ‘hey, even if we beat you on the field, at least we fed you well out here.’”

Chase’s new concessions join others returning this season, including Blue Oak BBQ, which is back with a stand on the Westfeldt Terrance, in the stadium’s upper level. Blue Oak is slinging pulled-pork nachos in the same football bowls.

Dat Dog, the emporium of encased meats, with its original restaurant near campus on Freret Street, has two concourse stands (in sections 101 and 118). Local pizzeria brand reginelli’s also has two outlets (in sections 103 and 111).

Other local names returning to Yulman this season include Williams plum Street Sno-Balls, a New Orleans institution since the 1940s, and the roving lemonade cart Meyers Lemonade. Uptown Tex-Mex mainstay Superior Grill is back with outlets for its margaritas, and Fat Tuesday daiquiri booths have a new blended boozy special called the “Frozen Wave.”

An overhaul of concessions around Yulman this year is part of a much broader change to food and beverage service across the Tulane campus. earlier this year, Tulane signed on a new food service vendor, Aramark Collegiate Hospitality, which took over from Sodexo after a 40-year run.

The move replaced one global giant of the institutional food service game with another, though one upshot is the involvement of more local players.

Since July, Aramark has been handling everything from the student dining hall to campus catering. That includes a new faculty lounge, also developed in partnership with Chase, called the 1834 Club by Dook Chase. products from local companies including Gracious Bakery, pJ’s Coffee and French Truck Coffee are in the mix for campus food now, and Aramark has been working with the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute to boost training for staff locally.

On game day, more changes abound around the 30,000-seat Yulman Stadium.

“This isn’t the concessions of the 1980s,” says ron ranieri, director of the athletics food program at Tulane for Aramark. part of the approach is to bring concepts that are becoming more

common in pro sports venues to the college stadium, he says.

“You have to have your fan favorites; you have to have beer and hot dogs,” ranieri says. “But what you really want to have today is your local flavors, the things that mean something here.”

Visitors can still find a regular “stadium dog,” popcorn and Dippin’ Dots ice cream at Yulman, but the changes to the food and drink game at the stadium go from bottom to top.

The ground-level concourse, where most of the food stands are located, is lined with many “Walk Thru Bru” beverage stations. It’s intended to avoid long individual lines at large single booths, and put many drinks into many hands at once.

There are also new “markets” where people can browse around more self-serve offerings. That includes cases of salads and wraps from robért Fresh Market, in coolers that look much like the grab-and-go deli case at that local grocery.

The food goes more high-end upstairs in the Glazer Family Club.

Here the spreads and catering stations can resemble the reception at a pricey wedding, from cast-iron skillets filled with couvillion and carving stations to multi-tiered ice sculptures loaded with boiled shrimp and chilled crab claws.

The shift around the concourse resembles the changes for the New Orleans airport when its new terminal opened in 2019, creating a better representation of New Orleans restaurants to greet travelers.

Chase played an important role in that change, too. He’s taking some of the experience from the airport concession business to the stadium but notes the pace is different, with a rush that happens before kick off and at halftime versus the ebb and flow of daily airport traffic.

At Dook’s Burgers and Dook’s Tackle Box, event-day employees work the counter while managers and chefs from Chase’s other restaurants run the stands. That includes chef Gavin Goins Jr., Chase’s cousin and longtime culinary collaborator.

When the Saints held a recent practice at Yulman, the new food outlets had their first trial run with crowds in the stands.

“What this is about is sharing what we can do here with New Orleans food,” Chase says. “If you’re in New Orleans, even at the game, you should have a taste of that.” — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

John Maxwell Hamilton Journalist

by Will Coviello IN HIS CAREER AS A JOURNALIST AND FOUNDING DEAN of LSU’s Manship

School of Mass Communication, John Maxwell Hamilton has covered many subjects and authored books on subjects from Woodrow Wilson and the use of propaganda to foreign reporting, the global south and more. He’s also traveled extensively, reporting from more than 50 countries. His most recent book is “The French 75,” the latest installment in LSU press’s series on popular local cocktails. The drink is named for the French cannon that helped the French in World War I. There are many versions of the cocktail, often featuring gin topped with Champagne, or the locally common version with cognac instead of gin. The drink became celebrated in French bars during World War I and more recently gained new popularity in New Orleans, which started a new wave of interest in the French 75. For information about the book, go to lsupress.org.

How did you get interested in writing about the French 75?

JOHN MAXWELL HAMILTON: I was at the LSU press offices. They said they were doing short books. My last book was a quarter of a million words, and a short book sounded fun.

One reason I decided to do this cocktail was because of the name, not because I had a particular passion for it. Little did I know when I started that it would have a connection to a subject I know a lot about: propaganda.

I am a journalist. I am interested in getting the facts right. The French 75 is created as part of a propaganda exercise. It’s the only piece of the 75 mm cannon propaganda that lived on.

It hung on because it has an evocative name. It was just right to publicists.

There are a lot of other drinks out there that are quite good. The French 75 I happen to think is a very good drink. It’s one of my favorites. But if you want to understand the drink, you have to understand not only is the drink concocted, but so is the story about the drink.

One thing you learn in this book is that there are lots of serious bartenders that do a very good job of creating drinks that are made with careful specifications and trial and error and

PROVIDED PHOTO BY BETSIE MILLER

produce a good product. There’s also another strain in cocktail culture which is that a lot of what you are told is just a story, and not necessarily an accurate one, and not even much effort in applying any standards of evidence to know what’s happening. There’s a lot of puffery that goes on.

I traveled and asked for a French 75 everywhere I went, even in Norway once. I was always interested in what came up. I went places mentioned in connection with the drink, sometimes inaccurately. Some people say it was invented at Buck’s Club (in London).

Buck’s says it was never served there.

Both are incorrect.

How did the success of the cannon inspire the drink?

H: It was the most effective cannon of its type at the time, because it was fast firing, didn’t have to be re-sighted, and it could fire at targets you couldn’t necessarily see, like over a hill. You could fire a lot of shells quickly. It was a very powerful cannon, and a great deal was written about it. It was created in secret — a secret that they tried to guard rather carefully. It was celebrated because it gave the French hope.

There were items that took the name French 75. All kinds of propaganda material was put out about the gun.

There was a medal that people bought, and money was used to provide care packages for people at the front. That was clearly sanctioned by the government, although there was a private entity that did it. But it benefited the government, it benefitted the war (effort). The government didn’t step

in and manage every way the name was used, but it fed into what the government wanted, which was to celebrate the hopefulness of the war.

The drink made money for bartenders. We know it was tied to the war. people drank it because it tasted good and also because it was a way to feel attached to the war effort.

It was well known and served at a lot of bars, including at swanky ones. It was popular and written a lot about.

It began to appear in cocktail books, and that carried on through prohibition.

The first version didn’t have Champagne in it. The first iterations, including the one in Harry McIlhone’s (New York Bar in paris), were very strong drinks. It’s not served today.

The French 75 Harry’s serves today does have absinthe in it, but it’s a much less potent drink.

WINE OF THE

WEEK

San Simeon Cabernet

How was the drink revived so many years later in New Orleans?

H: There is a revival of carefully made, interesting cocktails at the end of the 20th century, and it has carried on until now. The French 75 was a drink that was still made in some places, but it wasn’t as popular as the martini, or old fashioned or Negroni.

Because the drink can be modified, it has become a fun drink to play with and a pleasurable drink to drink. The bars in New Orleans put it on the map and made it more well known. One way we can see that is while there were French 75s consumed in New Orleans prior to Arnaud’s creating the French 75 bar, it wasn’t one of the quintessential New Orleanian drinks. We can establish that by looking at cocktail menus. Doesn’t mean it was never mentioned. But it was not a staple. It wasn’t like the ramos gin fizz or the Sazerac.

Creating the French 75 bar is very important. That name resonated with the French Quarter. Creating a version that had cognac and Champagne was a little bit of a different twist. You had a bartender there, Chris Hannah, who became a very famous bartender, and he saw that as a signature drink. He did a lot for the cocktail.

This wine has deep dark hues and robust flavors of plum, black cherry and blackberries. The nose is greeted with aromas of baking spice, nutmeg, and tobacco. With soft, long-lasting leathery tannins, the mid palate is rich and spicy, balancing the wine with a long, round smooth finish.

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O U T T O E AT

Out to eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.

Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ices, cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and more. There also are coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant. com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.Mon. $$$ Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$ The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available.

No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$ Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 5813866; broussards.com — rainbow trout amandine is served with tasso and corn macque choux and Creole meuniere sauce.

Brunch includes Benedicts, chicken and waffles and more. reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli.

Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations.

Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$ Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya.

There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 7666602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice.

Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes char-grilled oysters topped with parmesan and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. reservations recommended.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse.com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. redfish on the Half-shell is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more.

A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. reservations recommended.

Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, cheese and pickles. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The bar menu includes sandwiches, salads and flatbreads, including one topped with peach, prosciutto, stracciatella cheese, arugula and pecans. No reservations. Dinner Wed.-Sat. $$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and a NOLA Style Grits Bowl topped with bacon, cheddar and a poached egg. reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes filets mignons and bone-in ribeyes, as well as burgers, salads and seafood dishes. reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Boudin Benedict features two poached eggs over boudin and an english muffin, served with green tomato chow chow and hollandaise. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande, shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and chicken cacciatore. reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage and Creole favorites like jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, chargrilled and raw oysters, salads and more.

Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 523-1661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$ Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill.

com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner daily. $$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 1433 St. Charles Ave., (504) 354-1342; 5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco.com — The peruvian menu includes several types of ceviche, as well as steak and seafood dishes.

Traditional lomo saltado features sauteed beef tenderloin tips, onions, tomatoes, soy sauce and pisco, served with potatoes and rice. Outdoor seating available on Magazine Street. Delivery available. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

PAGE 5

RJD2

Producer RJD2 has been releasing masterful, mostly instrumental, soul- and funk-infused hip-hop grooves for close to 25 years. He recently released his eighth solo record, “Visions Out of Limelight,” and has spent the summer playing clubs around the country. He stops in New Orleans at 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, for a show at the rabbit Hole with Tatum Neill, Tsgna and DTr. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 day of and $55 VIp. Find more info at rabbitholenola.com.

‘A Doll’s House’

Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” stirred controversy after it debuted in 1879 and focused on Nora and what she learns about her marriage as the family has survived financial hardship. past indiscretions and old connections threaten to upset their picturesque life. New York playwright Amy Herzog gave it a modern adaptation, sharpening and economizing on Ibsen’s language.

Jana Mestecky directs the show for

Crescent City Stage at Marquette Hall at Loyola University. At 7:30 Thursday, Sept. 5, though Saturday, Sept. 7, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept.

8, and continuing Sept. 12-22. Tickets $10-$58.90 via simpletix.com.

Galactic Empire

The only way to take John Williams’ classic scores for Star Wars and Indiana Jones higher is to add double bass drum pedals, ripping guitar solos and heavy distortion. Galactic empire is proof. The band of masked musicians reinterpret songs like “Duel of the Fates,” “The Imperial March,” and “Across the Stars” with metal heaviness and flair. Grab your Sith robes for their show at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5, at Southport Hall. General admission is $28.51 via southporthall.com.

The Nerve

New Orleans’ Derrick Freeman, Papa Mali, Kyle Cripps, Mark Levon and James Martin join forces as The Nerve for a show at 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, at Le Bon Temps roule.

Admission is $10 at the door. Find more info at lbtrnola.com.

NOLA Vibe Fest

New Orleans bluegrass outfit The Tanglers, dream rock band Whisper party, cosmic funk group The Quickening and the funky, soulful Dale Dolese Band play the NOLA Vibe Fest at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Broadside. It’s also a record release show for the Dale Dolese Band’s new “Sugar and Fire.” Tickets are $22.19 via broadsidenola.com.

Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band

Drummer Brian Blade formed The Fellowship Band in 1988 after meeting pianist Jon Cowherd while the two were studying at Loyola University New Orleans. It’s been a fruitful partnership with seven well-received albums over the years, including last year’s “Kings Highway.” The Fellowship Band also includes reeds players Myron Walden and Melvin Butler, guitarist Kurt rosenwinkel and New Orleans bassist roland Guerin.

Blade and The Fellowship band play at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, at Snug Harbor. Tickets are $40 via snugjazz.com.

GLTTRAVE

The new femme- and queer-forward dance party GLTTrAVe throws its first party at 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

7, at the Howlin’ Wolf with DJs Holly Jean, Alia, Maliboo and XGF. Tickets are $5 advance via thehowlinwolf.com and $10 at the door.

Shannon Powell Benefit

In early August, a hemorrhagic stroke and then a heart attack sidelined drummer Shannon powell, a mainstay at preservation Hall and proclaimed “King of Treme.” powell is still recovering, and his family and friends are currently raising money to help with long-term health care.

A jam session fundraiser will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, in the courtyard of the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Admission is free but donations are encouraged. Find more info at nolajazzmuseum.org.

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MUSIC FO r CO M p L e T e M U S I C L I ST I N G S A N D M O r e e V e N T S TA K I N G p L A C e IN THe NeW OrLeANS AreA, VISIT C A L E N D A R . G A M B I T W E E K LY. C O M

To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com

MONDAY 2 BAMBOULAS — The New Orleans rug Cutters, 1:15 pm; Jon ronier Band, 5:30 pm; Les Getrex and Creole Cooking, 9 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Washboard Chaz, Jonathan Freilich, 9 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Matinee All Star Band, 1 pm; Tin Men, 5 pm; richard "piano" Scott and Friends, 8 pm HOWLIN' WOLF — Josh Benitez, High Heal Doula, Michael Shackelford, Sariyah Idan. , 6:30 pm SNUG HARBOR — Charmaine Neville Band, 7pm

TUESDAY 3 BAMBOULAS — The Villians, 1:15 pm; Giselle Anguizola Quartet, 5:30 pm; Caitie B. and The Hand Me Downs, 9 pm ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC — Detroit Brooks and D'Natural effect, 6:30 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard "piano" Scott, 1 pm; Blue Horn Jazz Band, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 8 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — TBC Brass Band, 9 pm RABBIT HOLE — rebirth Brass Band, 8:30 pm ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL — Trumpet Mafia, 6 pm

WEDNESDAY 4 BAMBOULAS — J.J. and the A-OKs, 1:15 pm; Boardwalker and the 3 Finger Swingers, 5:30 pm; The Queen and Friendz, 9 pm BLUE NILE — New Breed Brass Band, 9:30 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “piano” Scott, 1 pm; Bourbon Street Stars, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Kevin ray Clark, 8 pm

THURSDAY 5 BAMBOULAS — Miss Sigrid and the Zig Zags, 1:15 pm; Christina Kaminis and The Mix, 5:30 pm; Wolfe John's Blues Band, 9 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Gloryland Brass Band, 9 am BLUE NILE — Where Y'at Brass Band, 9 pm

Charmaine Neville plays Snug Harbor Sept. 2.

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — reggae Night with DJ T-roy, 11 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard "piano" Scott, 12:30 pm; Doyle Cooper Band, 2:30 pm; John Saavedra Band, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Kevin ray Clark, 8 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with robin Barnes and pat Casey , 8 pm

FRIDAY 6 BAMBOULAS — The New Orleans rug Cutters, 11 am;Felipe Antonio Quinteto, 2:15 pm; Les Getrex and Creole Cooking, 6:30 pm; Bettis and 3rd Degree Brass Band , 10 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Amigos Do Samba, 9 pm BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers' FunkBox, 8 pm; Kermit ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm BUFFA'S — Cole Williams, 8 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Mia Borders, 6 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Sam Friend Jazz Band, 2:30 pm; Woodis/Lange Band, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Kevin ray Clark, 9 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR — GOODFrIeND feat.

Sari Jordan, 8 pm NOLA BREWING — Happy Talk Band, 7 pm SANTOS — High Desert Queen, 9 pm SNUG HARBOR JAZZ BISTRO — Judith Owen & The Callers, 7:30 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — rJD2, 10 pm

SATURDAY 7 BAMBOULAS — The Jaywalkers, 11 am; Boardwalker and the 3 Finger Swingers, 2:15 pm; Wolfe John’s Blues Band, 6:30 pm; paggy prine and Southern Soul, 10 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — The Iguanas, 9 pm BLUE NILE — George Brown Band, 8 pm; The essentials, 11 pm; George Brown Band, 12 am D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Flogging NOLA, Shark Attack, 10 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Steve Detroy Band, 2:30 pm; Bourbon Matinee All Star Band w/Chuck Brackman, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 9 pm NOLA BREWING — Zen Cowboys - Jamie Bernstein & Dave easley, 7 pm THE GOAT — Christworm, Inner Anguish, Dogma, 10 pm

PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

THE RABBIT HOLE — Saint punk, 10 pm

SUNDAY 8 BAMBOULAS — Aaron Levinson and Friends, 10:30 am; Youse, 1:15 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm; ed Wills Blues 4 Sale, 9 pm BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — James McClaskey and the rhythm Band, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Street Legends Brass Band, 10:30 pm BROADSIDE — John Boutte, 6 pm HOWLIN’ WOLF — Minx Burlesque, 6 pM; Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Doyle Cooper Band, 12:30 pm;Sazerac Jazz Band w/ross Hoppe, Dwayne Burnes, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/ Mike Fulton, 8 pm

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33

o d o t t a h w

Jewel box

o g o t e r whe

by Will Coviello

DELFEAYO MARSALIS’ UPTOWN JAZZ ORCHESTRA’S most recent

recordings have been celebratory, including 2020’s “Jazz party” and last year’s “Uptown on Mardi Gras Day.” The latest project, “Crescent City Jewels,” has some sure-to-please crowd favorites, too, but it also shows the band’s full grasp of New Orleans sounds.

“I don’t know how many bands can come out and play the New Orleans funk and actually swing and then play the romantic ballad and then play the gospel funk,” Marsalis says.

“It’s what makes New Orleans great. A record like this can only be made by someone from New Orleans in New Orleans.”

The album was released Aug. 30 on Troubadour Jass, and it features a number of guests, from Branford Marsalis to Kermit ruffins.

There are some classic local tunes, like “Basin Street Blues” and Jessie Hill’s “Ooh poo pah Doo,” but there’s often more than meets the eye. The Orchestra often plays Hill’s r&B classic, but on the record, ruffins handles the vocals. While recording it, ruffins shared that when he was in his 20s, he’d run into Hill on the streets in Treme, talking to young musicians about how to play certain songs right.

The record also features Tonya BoydCannon singing “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free.” The song was popularized by Nina Simone during the Civil rights movement. Marsalis created the Orchestra’s arrangement when Leah Chase requested they do the song at her 90th birthday celebration.

“It’s another one where we combined swing with the gospel,” Marsalis says.

Marsalis wrote the gospel-inflected “Valley of prayers” for Boyd-Cannon.

She sings on many of the tracks and hits a range of styles.

“If it’s gospel and soul and r&B, she will kill that all day long,” Marsalis says.

“The addition of “round Midnight’ and the more sensitive materials is only going to make her performances greater.

We’ve been working on that, and I thought it was time to document it.”

The record also features BoydCannon crooning over retro big band sounds on “A Sleepin’ Bee,” a song covered by everyone from Tony Bennett to Barbra Streisand in the 1950s and ’60s. She also sings on a funk-infused version of Gershwin’s “Summertime”

e e s o t o h w

PROVIDED PHOTO BY ERIC WATERS AND GIRARD MOUTON

and “What a Difference a Day Makes,” popularized by Dinah Washington.

The band leans into swing on the Marsalis original “Basie Moods,” one of several long instrumental pieces.

The album also features a modern jazz piece full of sizzling solos. “Inner Urge” includes stunning work from Branford Marsalis on saxophone, Victor Campbell on piano and Delfeayo Marsalis on trombone.

“It’s difficult to play modern jazz without intensity,” Marsalis says.

Including more modern pieces is one way he’s showcasing the orchestra’s full range of talents.

The album closes with the brass band standard “Lil Liza Jane.”

“I love brass bands,” Marsalis says.

“I love the urgency. The brass band is designed to give you that high energy all night long. It’s a great thing to do.

Our design is a little different. We’re going to give you that high energy part of the time. We’re going to give you romance part of the time. We’re going to give you funk part of the time. We’re going to give you the modern jazz. It leads to a much deeper conversation than you expected.”

An album release event will be held later in fall, but the Uptown Jazz Orchestra performs at Snug Harbor at 7 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Visit theujo.org for information about “Crescent City Jewels.”

Make a plan ts n e v e r u o h t wi calendar at CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

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MUSIC

BOOKS

Fighting Words

Librarian and author Amanda Jones PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMANDA JONES

by Sarah Ravits

IN HER NEW BOOK “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America,” nationally acclaimed school librarian and Louisiana resident Amanda Jones pushes back against republican efforts to ban books in public libraries and schools.

On Friday, Sept. 6, Jones will speak at Garden District Book Shop, drawing from her own experience as the target of a vicious bullying campaign that changed her life after she took a stand against book censorship in her rural Louisiana town.

“I never imagined that I would receive an email in which someone writes, ‘we gunna put ur fat evil peDO azz in the dirt,’” she writes in the book’s opening chapter. “It put chills down my back and scared me to the depths of my being.”

It all started in July 2022 during a discussion in her native Livingston parish over whether a local library should restrict access to certain books for teenagers.

Jones had merely echoed what fellow educators have been saying for years:

that removing books could be “harmful to our most vulnerable.”

“Just because you don’t want to read it or see it does not give you the right to deny [it to] others,” she said at the time.

As “That Librarian” points out, many books being challenged are written by LGTBQ authors or authors of color. executive director of the ultra-conservative nonprofit Citizens for a New Louisiana, Michael Lunsford, seized that opportunity (with the help of a Facebook meme account administrator, ryan Thames) to spread dangerous disinformation about Jones.

“They ... questioned what kind of nefarious influence I had over six-yearolds,” she writes. “They posted a picture of me with a target around my head ... They published my name and said that I was fighting hard to keep ‘sexually erotic and pornographic’ material in the kids section.”

Of course, as an experienced librarian, Jones understands age-appropriate content and had argued for no such thing.

The memes kept spreading across the internet, resulting in death threats to Jones and her family. She soon found herself so distressed by the smear campaign that she took a leave of absence from the job she loved.

Like the protagonists of many books that have influenced her over the years, Jones soon gathered her strength back and decided to stand up to the bullies, galvanized by support from librarians across the country who have faced similar threats.

Since then, she also has become a leading activist in fighting book bans, as co-founder of the Livingston parish Library Alliance and a founding member of the Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship.

“That Librarian” is a testimony to Jones’ and countless librarians’ dedication to the profession despite an increasingly hostile environment created by far-right activists. The book is triumphant in a personal sense, and filled with plenty of witty, humorous insight about being an educator in a small town. But it’s also a cautionary tale and a call to action.

As Jones points out, small towns in red states like Louisiana aren’t the only places where book ban attempts and assaults on librarians’ integrity are happening. “every one of these librarians’ stories has a familiar ring to it, whether it takes place in the North or the South, the east or the West,” she writes. “It’s a contagion, but it’s a contagion that is well organized and fueled by fear and the mistaken notion that turning back the clock will fill the void in people’s lives.”

Jones speaks at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, at Garden District Book Shop. For more information, visit gardendistrictbookshop.com.

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66 Barbie’s little sister 69 “I won’t -- word” 70 Male bud 71 D.C.’s land 72 Having a boss who will only communicate with you by singing?

78 Boxer Laila 79 Wanted-poster abbr.

80 “Let -- already!”

81 IRS probes 82 Technique of kneading bivalve mollusks before cooking them?

87 Big inits. in fashion 88 Watering aid 89 Rescue 90 Big inits. in fuel additives

92 This, in Lima 32 Deli classic 96 “Golly!”

33 Rowing blade 99 Dog tether 35 Genetic ID 102 Maligns 40 -- Strauss 105 Girls’ shirts worn 41 Pizza cooker as part of a 42 Very valuable vase classroom dress 43 Ray of McDonald’s code?

45 Vanzetti’s old partner 110 Province west of Sask. in crime 111 “Nope” 46 Actress Thompson 112 -- kwon do 51 Israeli airline 113 Born as 53 “-- happy to!”

114 Strauss opera per 55 Second-century pope formed correctly in 56 Map extra every detail?

57 “By Jove!”

117 Europe-Asia border 59 Kind of wave river 60 Japanese watch brand 119 Tree yielding 62 Olive of old comics chocolate 63 “Which -- Up?” (1977 123 Zodiac feline comedy film) 124 Actress Teri 64 Orderly lineup 125 Repainting all your 65 “-- ordo seclorum” yuletide ornaments (phrase on a dollar bill) black and white?

66 Break to bits 131 Prairie canine 67 Verizon, e.g., in brief 132 Taken illicitly 68 Pseudonym 133 ID attached to luggage 73 Salary limits 134 Unfurled, e.g.

74 Depot: Abbr.

135 Trunks 75 Trendy Aussie boots 136 That girl 76 Bards 137 Hurly-burly 77 Did nothing 83 Toy brick brand DOWN 84 Galleria 1 Spring mo.

2 Got ready 3 Native of Belmopan 4 Officer patrolling an area 5 Condition with rituals, in brief 6 Ben and Jerry of comedy 7 “Roots” actress Leslie 8 After-tax 9 -- -jongg 10 War god 11 Masterful 12 Falco of TV 13 Breastbone 14 Gratuity 15 Razor option 16 Trite phrase 17 “Taxi” actress Marilu 18 Acid-alcohol compounds 20 “Happy Days” cool guy, with “the” 24 Natal lead-in 25 Requirement 30 Agree (with) 31 Yoko of art

85 2004 Chevy debut 86 Football Hall of Famer Junior 91 Military units 93 Mexican miss 94 Mine railway 95 Tennis star Arthur 97 Untold eras 98 Voted in 100 Boise-to-Vegas dir.

101 Witch’s spell 103 Gore and Hirt 104 Heat-vs.-Suns matchup, e.g.

105 Wall plaster 106 Drive-in restaurant server 107 Cry from a town crier 108 Sunlight ray 109 Hair parlors 115 Cartoon pic 116 Tardy 118 Jungle cat 120 Put in a role 121 Regarding 122 Stench 126 Holy Mlle.

127 Raised rails 128 Co. bigwig 129 Cheering cry 130 Many an intl. charity

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 2

35

PUZZLES

34 Discontinue 36 That girl 37 It might make you red in the face 38 Unbroken 39 Basketball-stuffing pros taking part in a zigzag ski race?

44 “C’mon, do me this favor” 47 Fountain in Rome 48 Spoil 49 Writer Ferber 50 Visualize 52 “--, vidi, vici” 54 Sheriff Taylor’s son 58 Dol. units 61 Becoming less energetic at the disco?

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ACROSS 1 Police dept. alert 4 Celtics, on scoreboards 7 Like messy beds 13 Beard go-with, for short 19 French department head 21 Got ready, with “up” 22 Epithets 23 Refreshing a web page that has detailed contract wording?

26 Half a quart 27 Meadowland 28 Navigate 29 It might make you red in the face 30 Annual bebop music festival in Sri Lanka’s capital?

CONGRATULATIONS, MICHAEL ON WINNING

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DELIGHTFUL CRAFTSMAN COTTAGE

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